New college graduates face two hurdles—fewer job openings and experienced competition

The job market is challenging for all Americans. More than 33 million people have filed for first-time unemployment benefits over the past two months and the unemployment rate has hit its highest level since the Great Depression. Some of the workers have been laid off, some furloughed, and some have lost their jobs because their work place has gone out of business.

WorkingNation President Jane Oates, who previously served in the Department of Labor, tells the L.A. Times that economic uncertainly is making the the transition from college to career even more difficult.

“It’s the worst thing I have ever seen. They are about to enter the employment market at a time when absolutely nobody knows what to predict.” – Jane Oates, WorkingNation President

“Imminent graduates face an uphill battle on two fronts, Oates said. There are fewer jobs available, creating more competition. And whenever jobs return, she said, companies will most likely rehire the talent they originally let go.

And there aren’t obvious places to turn. As payrolls nationwide shrank by more than 20 million jobs last month, the losses cut across all industry sectors.

‘For job seekers right now, it’s trying to figure out not who the growth industries are, but who the industries are that are going to be able to come back with any vibrancy at all,’ said Oates.’You’re looking at industries that are completely reformatted.'”

MISSION

We tell stories about solutions to the jobs skills gap that is threatening to disrupt our economy. We are raising this critical issue to the level of a national discussion to reach people and entities that can effect change, to connect the dots for companies and communities looking for solutions to their own workforce issues, and to identify for workers and job seekers where the jobs of the future will be.